Samuel l



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Letters .Patent No. 75,143, dated March 3, 186.8.

IMPROVEMENT IN TENTR-BARS FOR SHAPING ARTICLES OI' CLOTH.

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TO ALL WHQM IT MAY CONCERN: v

Be it known that I, SAMEL L. FISKE, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have inventedfan Apparatus for AShaping Articiesot` Cloth; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear; and exact' description of the same.

My invention consists of a tentering-frame, of thepecnliar construction described hereafter, in combination with a former,'by which .portions of fabric (as, for instance, a horse-cloth,) stretched by the frame, may be shaped while being thus stretched, as set forth hereafter, thereby obvi'ating the necessity of resorting to the ordinary tedious process of stitching several pieces together, and quilting the same,

In order to enable-others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, will now-proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of'this specification, and in whieh- I Figure 1 is a front elevation ofV my apparatus for'shaping articles of cloth.

Figure 2, a. vertical section on the line 1 2, fig. I, and

Figure 3, a sectional plan on the line 3 4, tig. 2. A

"A is a tentering-fraine, which consists of standards, a a, permanent 'cross-pieces, `Zz b1 b2, and an adjustable cross-piece, c, which is arranged to slide vertically on the frame. In sockets inthe `cross-piece?)2 fit the lower ends of detachable-vertical bars, e e, the upper ends of which project through a staple, d, on the upper crosslars b, and on the latter, and on the cross-piece c, are the 'usual ,tentering-hooks, Between the bars e e projects one edge of a wooden strip or former," B, recesses in the ends of which Aare adapted for the reception of the cross-piece b1, and of`a. rib, n, at the under side of the upper cross-piece, I), the front edge of this formefy which projects between thebars, being curved to the form shown inthe drawing, or to any other desired form. After the barse e have been removed, a piece of cloth, X, properly-wetted, or fresh from the fulling-mill, is placed upon the tentering-hooks, and is stretched by moving downward'the cross-piece c, andsecuring the latter by any suitable appliances. The bars e e are -now secured in their positions at each side of the former, B, as shown in the drawing, so as to draw the central portion of tlre cloth tightly across the curved edge of the said former, the cloth remaining in this position until it is perfectly dry, when', on removingit from the frame,

the central portion will be found to have acquired the shape corresponding to that of the former, which shape it permanently retains.

' 'The apparatus, as illustratedirn the drawing, is used for imparting the desired shape to the middle portion of a. horse-cloth, the front edge'of thc former, B, being of a shape corresponding to that of the horses back,

Ywhich shape is imparte'dto the fabric in the manner described, a horse-cloth of the'desired form being thus made of one piece of fabric, instead of several pieces, stitched together in the usual tedious manner, for eifecting thepurpose accomplished by my abovedescribed simple apparatus. In like manner bther shapes'may be imparted to fabrics, by Vcombining suitable fformers with the tentering-apparatnsi I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent- The combinationof the parallel tentering-bars 61.0, their hooks, 2', the former, B, and detachable bars e e, the Whole being'l constructed and arranged substantially as' and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, Ihave signed my name tothis specication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.-

' SAMUEL L. FIsKE.

Witnesses CHARLES E. FOSTER, W. J. R, DELANY. 

